Thanks Pam for this very inspiring glimpse of what a moment as a practicing Christian Scientist unveils and reveals of the present beauty and bounty in everyone’s life, wherever we are.
Last week,I was shopping for some wallpaper, and the lady selling me the product ask me what kind of work I was doing.
I said I was a Christian Science practitioner. This lead to other questions on her part. Next she asked, “How do you handle all the bad news we hear in the media?” She seemed quite distraught about it at the time.
This was an opportunity for me to explain some simple truths we might teach our students in Sunday School.
But then it occurred to me to talk to her about the CS Monitor Online, and Christian Science.com.
Yesterday, I picked up the wallpaper I had ordered, and brought a copy of the CS Monitor and a copy of the CS Sentinel.
She graciously accepted both publications.
Then it occurred to me, I had been listening to the little voice within, Christ. Now I needed to leave it to God, let Him do the nurturing of His spiritual idea, man.
Love
Suzanne❤️?
Month: June 2017
❤️ LOVE
An enormous, all-encompassing word
Each day may I learn
More about Love
May I express more Love
In moments, in all circumstances, when I am afraid
Love can teach me to see beyond
The troubles, the hard times
Love teaches the Truth
Reminds me of the ever-present, ever-powerful divine Principle,
The origin and foundation of all being
Being is God, Mind, and Soul
Without Love the world crumbles, disintegrates
We exist because Love exists
We are because we Love
Our invariable cultivation of Love, devotion
Blesses the universe
Expands God
Protects us from evil
Our invariable cultivation of Love
Creates harmony, friendship, peace and compatibility in our world
(Thanks to Duffy)
My new friend at church
Thanks, Cindy!
I love what you said, Pam, about really being a Christian Scientist in every moment and in every situation. I have been endeavoring to love each and every individual I meet, and that has brought smiles and good will, but it isn’t the same as viewing all as a Christian Scientist, is it? Human love, however good and well intentioned, isn’t divine Love. It still sees flaws and makes one better than another. Divine Love sees each as its own beautiful whole and good creation, having all it needs at every moment.
One Sunday we found a man sleeping behind our church. He ventured in to the church just as the service had ended. Here was an opportunity to see him as Love created him. He appeared dirty, drunk, and incoherent. But Love didn’t see him that way, so I sat down with him and we chatted for over an hour. He told me he didn’t see any reason to live, that he was a miserable alcoholic and didn’t think God wanted him to live since he had taken a life while on military duty in Kuwait. He had been living outside for four years, including outside during our epic snowy winter this year. He didn’t understand why he was surviving. As we chatted I shared with him that he was loved, that God wanted him to thrive, not just survive, that he had a divine purpose. We shared laughter, tears, and a kindred sense of purpose. I gave him a Science and Health and asked him to read it. He was grateful for it.
Each time I thought of my new friend during the week, I would recognize his innocence and dominion and purpose. This Sunday, he came to church. When he came in, he was drunk, but Love doesn’t see that, does it? He sat in the back with tears in his eyes. After church, we chatted again and he was sober. He said he felt good here at church, had read some of Science and Health and asked me what he should do after church. The words popped out that he had a purpose and could go do some thing good for someone. Smiling broadly, he said he would and went his way.
I don’t know if he got as much as I did from our exchanges. I got to see beyond the mental picture of a homeless man to see the integrity, humility and love of this idea of God. Being a Christian Scientist is pretty fantastic, I’d say.
❤️ I, __________, (your name here) am a ______________.
I, ___________, wherever I am, I am a Christian Science Practitioner.
My goal: Each place I go, each thing I say, I realize I have a choice,- to simply be lost in the hustle and bustle of the day, part of a crowd, or to be conscious of what is available when, living the life I love, I can view that immediate moment through the eyes of one who endeavors to live the Christianity and the Science we are choosing to practice.
And I am better because of it. It’s not restricting or limiting; on the contrary, it should be enlivening and envigorating. It is an every day awareness of what this can mean to even a small part of our world.
Easy? Absolutely not. Have you ever turned on TV? Everything on that television tells you that what is going on there, or being sold there, prevents you from being a CHRISTIAN ..SCIENCE ..practitioner, one who lives or commits his daily practice to staying above the aggressive sales job of mortal mind. And lives a life of compassion, kindness, love, integrity, – finding harmomy where it looks like there is none, through an increasing understanding that God, all good, is really everywhere present.
Is it worth it? Absolutely! Is it the best profession ever? Well, can there be a better profession than one which upholds the best in an individual? Or the best in the world, by aligning each one, or circumstance with the divine as the source of goodness or abilities or provision or promise?
There is this amazing authority that takes place deep within each of us when, regardless of what we are doing, or where we are driving, or what we choose to engage in, or what sport we play, or what store we shop in, we decide to recognize that we have a spiriual perspective we can bring to any situation. And, quickly, we are so rewarded by our focus.
Here’s my recent example, and it was completely rewarding and fun.
Recently, I was in Safeway, buying only some gift cards. An older lady was ahead of me, respectfully trying to get the clerk to make a price adjustment. It was an uncomfortable moment for those in line, the lady needed a small bit of patience and the clerk was a bit too condescending.
My first response was to change lines. But the better thought was, stay right here. And let’s bring a better experience, if you are willing. So I simply began to be a part of the moment. And as the lady turned in my direction, she said, “I’m sorry to be holding you up.” My response, because my thought was prepared, was to place my hand on her shoulder and say, “You are just fine. There’s no hurry.” And then I said gently to this sweet lady, “You are just lovely.With that, she turned completely toward me to smile. She was lovely!! Really! She had a tiny sculpted face with bright clear eyes . She said, “I’m old.” My response, “We are lovely at any age,” unprepared for her next statement. With the kindest humility, she simply said, “I will be 102 in September.”
Well, you can imagine the instant community that developed! The clerk almost dropped her change, and said,”Really?? I am stunned. I would like to be like you today!” (She was twenty something.) The lady behind me perked up and said, “I’m shopping for my mother. I can’t wait to tell her this.” And we were all fast friends, enjoying our moment in time together. Every one was moved by that tiny encounter.
It didn’t have to have happened. It could have just been another line in Safeway. But I will always remember I had consciously decided to honor the role of a practicing Christian Scientist, and see how that could matter.
How willing are we to take the gift we have been given and be prepared to use it for the good of our world?
Any thoughts you want to share? Would love to hear your experiences! Please send them along to me so they can be shared.